King John

A Challenge Cup final win over Airdrie United today will only heighten the reputation of Inverness's upwardly-mobile manager

Promotion from the First Division is not merely a matter of accumulating points, but also seats. The Premierleague’s absurd and arbitrary criteria of 10,000 all-seater grounds keeps several promising clubs in check, but managers find it easier to break through the red tape, and the League itself acts as a shortlist for them to climb. John Robertson is the perfect example of a Premierleague manager in waiting.

A former international striker of note and character, with time served in coaching at Livingston, his 10 months in charge of Inverness Caledonian Thistle have merely confirmed Scottish football’s growing suspicion that he would make a good manager when he finally branched out on his own. Last season, he took Celtic’s scalp in the Scottish Cup quarter-final less than 72 hours after their epic victory at Anfield before losing narrowly to Dundee in the semi final at Hampden.